Over the course of nine "seasons" on television, it's naturally going to be difficult to maintain the element of surprise. This week's episode of 24: Live Another Day feels like one of the more predictable episodes in a good long while, but at least the characters started to see things only moments after me.

Even though I could predict the various plot beats of the episode, this week's episode still remains highly watchable, especially with the more emotional moments that the show sets up, earns and delivers on.

With Jack under arrest, Kate calls Chloe to find out what to do with the flight key. Kate also informs Erik of their plan, and he tells her, "This is crazy," even as he goes along with it all.

Back at Open Cell, even though he was responsible for getting Jack captured, Cross helps find the override code in the flight key data that helped Margot hijack the drones. Chloe informs Kate, who then informs Jordan and Navarro back at the CIA HQ in London.

Navarro calls Heller to tell him Jack was right, and the President immediately orders all of the drones grounded. Unfortunately for him, Margot is able to send out the override code and capture six more drones.

Bauer Wants Back in the Field

To help get the next lead on Al-Harazi, Heller demands to speak to Bauer, who is already en route to the embassy.

While Bauer is on his way, Kate finds out that she's been taken off the active duty roster by Navarro after the head Marine complained that she, you know, took Bauer without killing him. "Kate, you proved ... what you needed to prove," Steve says, reminding Kate that she's not like her traitorous husband, Adam.

Margot then puts out her demands in a video. She claims civilians were killed in the attack Heller launched that killed her husband. And she wants Heller to hand himself over in three hours.

Mark looks worried as Heller watches the video and it turns out that, yes, she was right. Civilians were killed and Mark hid it from Heller, who is beyond pissed. Mark wanted to ensure they got their drone base approved in London no matter what.

"We've just given our enemy a moral victory," he says. That doesn't mean he's going to exactly follow her demands, of course. Which Margot couldn't expect. It's all about the PR.

Jack arrives and Heller asks to meet with him alone. He tells Jack about the six drones and wants to know if he knows anything else. Jack tells Heller about an arms dealer, but he won't give up his name ... because he wants back in the field. "That's a big ask, Jack," Heller tells him.

Bauer promises to surrender to the authorities after the threat is neutralized, but Heller says no.

The Raid

Luckily for the President, he doesn't need Jack after all because Jordan found an IP address for where the video was recorded. Determined to show authority, and because he's marked for death if he's not a mole, Navarro decides to lead Erik's team on a raid to the location.

As I wrote in my notes, "I bet a drone hits that location," Kate starts to figure out this is all way, way too easy. She gives Chloe access to the CIA data -- after Cross has decided he has had enough and is leaving Chloe behind -- and Chloe learns it's a set-up.

Chloe calls Kate, Kate calls Navarro and Navarro starts to evacuate all of the agents inside the house. He and Erik make it outside safe before the drone strikes, but they start to run back inside when they realize not everyone is safe.

Both of their fates are left open as the episode comes to an to end.

Other Odds & Ends

-- I remain thoroughly uninterested in the family dynamics of the Al-Harazi family. If you care, Margot murdered Navid at the end of the episode with not an ounce of protest from Simone. Of course -- just of course -- Margot's son can pilot the drones just fine, even though Margot demanded that Navid had to do it in the last episode. Apparently, he's indispensable last week, but very, very disposable during this week's episode.

-- Audrey and Jack clearly still have feelings for each other, especially on Audrey's end. But Mark doesn't outwardly seem to be evil or mole-ish anymore, so I wonder if this season could conceivably end with Mark and Audrey still together.

-- Have we received confirmation that Adam, Kate's traitorous husband, is dead? If not, I bet he's the mastermind behind this entire attack.